


the cost of the fight

by ThebanSacredBand



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: Angst, Considerable Angst, Don't copy to another site, I'm so sorry, M/M, No Fluff, Opposite of a fix-it, in that I’ve taken someone else’s fix-it and made it sad, it's literally just angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-08 17:43:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18628135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThebanSacredBand/pseuds/ThebanSacredBand
Summary: Kady rushes over, pulling out the assorted things needed to fix his stiches. Quentin kneels down in front of him. Penny narrows his eyes, then widens them, realising something. Something Eliot has already realised himself.He had already lost so much blood, too much blood. And that was even before he had pressed the book against his wound and almost forced the blood out of him. Kady’s attempts are going to be futile.Eliot is dying.(An angst-ier ending for Nemainofthewater's "don't engage, strike by night" which is altogether much nicer and I would 100% advise reading)





	the cost of the fight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nemainofthewater](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nemainofthewater/gifts).
  * Inspired by [don't engage, strike by night](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18613438) by [Nemainofthewater](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nemainofthewater/pseuds/Nemainofthewater). 



> I would like to state at this earliest possible opportunity that all of my knowledge of the Magicians comes from Nemainofthewater's fics and some clips she's shown me (including the bonfire in 4x13)  
> This was very much inspired by everything she writes <3 (and also by how much I cried during the damn bonfire scene like I don't even know who these people are and I was weeping)

Eliot has been steadily bleeding since they arrived. He has not told Kady. He has barely admitted it to himself. This is more important than him. _Quentin_ is more important than him.

And then Penny tells him that in order to summon Quentin he’ll need human blood, and it is almost as though it is fate. Pressing the book against his weeping side feels right, somehow. For the first time since he had escaped the clutches of the monster, he feels like he has a purpose.

Then Quentin appears in front of him, and Eliot swoons. Quite literally. He reaches out to Quentin, only to find himself in a pile on the floor.

Kady rushes over, pulling out the assorted things needed to fix his stitches. Quentin kneels down in front of him. Penny narrows his eyes, then widens them, realising something. Something Eliot has already realised himself.

He had already lost so much blood, too much blood. And that was even before he had pressed the book against his wound and almost forced the blood out of him. Kady’s attempts are going to be futile.

Eliot is dying.

But that doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter at all. Because Quentin, Quentin is going to go back, and be alive, and live out the life he deserves to have.

He reaches out his hand to Quentin, who grasps it.

“Q. Q. I’m so sorry. For everything.”

“It’s, what? It’s good, it’s over Eliot. And now we get to spend out whole life together. We’re going to be free.” Quentin says, a smile on his face.

How could Eliot possibly reply? He cannot lie to Q, could never, not again. But he could not let Q stay here, dead, not when he has the possibilities of another fifty years ahead of him. He deserves it. He is too good to die young.

Eliot presses their shared hand to his lips. He would reach up and kiss him, but he doesn’t have the energy. He can feel himself fading. But there is one last thing he has to do.

He makes eye-contact with Penny, who nods. He wishes he could read what Penny was thinking, but there seems to be some sadness in the lines around his eyes. Penny walks around his desk, stands right behind Quentin.

And now Eliot turns to Kady. He puts a stilling hand against where she is still trying to tie bandages around his waist. She shakes her head, almost frantically.

“El-” She begins to speak, but Eliot cannot let her. There isn’t time.

“Get him out of here, Kady.” She swallows, bites her lip. “Please, Kady, you need to go.”

“Eliot. Eliot, what are you talking about?” It is Quentin who is talking now, as Kady moves away from Eliot’s side and pulls the necessary objects out of her bag, then returns the one which had been for Eliot, her hand shaking. “Eliot. What’s going-”

Kady grabs Quentin, starts the ritual needed to send them home.

“Eliot. ELIOT.” Quentin is frantic, trying to pull his arm away from Kady’s grip. Eliot reaches up, cupping Quentin’s face with the rest of the energy he has. Quentin is crying. It is heart-wrenching. Eliot brushes the tears from Quentin’s cheek.

“Live for me, Q. You’re too good to be here. I love, I love you so much Q. I’m so- so sorry I never told you before.” His voice is fading, weak.

“Eliot, you’re coming with us. El. _El_.” Quentin sobs. Gods, Quentin crying hurts more than getting stabbed in the side ever did.

“Kady. Now.” Is all he says.

The portal opens. Penny and Kady each grab one of Quentin’s arms, and drag him through it.

Eliot can still hear Quentin screaming as he fades into black, long after the portal has closed.

**Author's Note:**

> [While Nemainofthewater was reading this she just said "fuck you" which I take as the highest compliment]


End file.
